


Late nights

by This_Ginger_Can_Not_Read



Category: One Piece
Genre: Ace being a goof, Angst, Canonical Character Death, Fluff and Angst, Gen, M/M, Multi, Pranks, Sleepovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-10
Updated: 2019-02-10
Packaged: 2019-10-25 18:53:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17730707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/This_Ginger_Can_Not_Read/pseuds/This_Ginger_Can_Not_Read
Summary: Marco was tired. After a long day dealing with new recruits, paperwork, and training some of the crew members as Pops asked of him, Marco was ready to flop on his bed and sleep until someone came to wake him up. Whether that was in two hours or twenty was anyone’s guess considering his status of first division commander. Marco was too burnt out to really think about that as he stepped into the hallway. And heard… giggling?He should’ve known.





	Late nights

Marco was tired. After a long day dealing with new recruits, paperwork, and training some of the crew members as Pops asked of him, Marco was ready to flop on his bed and sleep until someone came to wake him up. Whether that was in two hours or twenty was anyone’s guess considering his status of first division commander. Marco was too burnt out to really think about that as he stepped into the hallway. And heard… giggling? 

 

He should’ve known. 

 

The second he heard the quiet laughter coming from his room, he should’ve known something was up. He could tell who it was. Of course he could. They were two of his best friends. He had spent a lot of time with each of them, whether for commander duties or just to chat over breakfast while trying to keep Ace from drowning in his food, Marco spent a lot of time with Ace and Thatch. 

 

That’s why he wasn’t too concerned as he stepped up to his door. He’d probably just fall asleep talking to them. It had happened before. Whether it was Ace, Thatch, or Marco’s room. Sometimes they would just stay up and chat until they fell asleep. Being so much older than them, Marco often fell asleep first. And while he would bring up that he did the most work, Ace would never let him live it down that he was an old man. 

 

As soon as he pushed the door open, slowly as to not startle the others, he opened his mouth to call out to the two men in his room. The stifled laughter really should’ve tipped him off. Instead, he trusted them, foolishly. 

 

“Oi, Ac-” 

 

_ Thunk. _

 

Marco’s entire body tensed as a bucket of honey and feathers fell from the top of the door and coated him in the sticky and feathery substance. He closed his mouth quickly, mouth in a tight line as he stared down at the mess on himself. 

 

Very slowly picking the bucket off of his head, he watched his two friends come into view. Thatch was in his desk chair, wheezing out laughter. Ace was clutching his stomach on the floor, covering his eyes as he brought himself to tears at Marco’s messy form. 

 

“Hahaha, I’m so sorry but Thatch-” 

 

“Don’t blame- haha- Don’t blame me! You were just as much a part of this!” 

 

Marco sighed deeply, setting the bucket aside and running a hand down his face, smearing the honey. He brought his hand back, feathers stuck to the back and honey coating the palm. He wanted to be mad, but he was so tired. 

Ace sat up, laughter still racking his form as he tried to catch his breath. He brushed tears from his eyes and grinned up at Marco. Looking over, Thatch had a matching grin and Marco knew right then that he truly could not get mad at them. He could get even though. 

 

“Well Marco, now you’re a true bird! Feathers and all.” Ace held back laughter and stood up, stretching his back as he turned to Thatch. “Come on, let’s get back to our rooms. We have a commanders meeting in the morning.” 

 

Thatch stood up as well, moving to stretch when a shadow fell over his face and he stared in fear behind Ace. Ace, confused on the sudden behavior, turned his head to see what could’ve caused the shift, got a face full of honey and a mouth full of feathers. 

 

“Bleh, pleh, bleh! Marco!” 

 

“Yes, because I’m the one at fault here, yoi. Try again.” 

 

Thatch fell back into the chair, laughing taking over as he looked at the honey dripping from Ace’s face. He snorted a laugh and stood again, pushing Ace’s back as the two stepped around Marco. 

 

“You might want to get a shower, Marco. We’ll see you in the morning.” 

 

“Just stay here the night. Won’t be the first time, yoi.” 

 

Both men looked at each other, then at Marco before taking a spot on the floor, grabbing the blankets and pillows they kept for these occasions. 

  
  
  


After Marco got out of the shower, he stepped over Ace and Thatch scheming together on how to prank Izo. Shaking his head, he moved to his bed, flopping down after a long day. He barely paid attention to what the other two were saying. His mind was already filling with the buzz of sleep after a long day and he was almost asleep when he heard Ace quietly call out his name. 

“Marco?” 

 

“Hm?” 

 

“Thanks for putting up with us.” 

 

Marco stiffened before sitting up a bit and looking down at the two of them. They looked up at him expectantly, waiting for either a snarky remark or a dismissal. He surprised them by chuckling and shaking his head. 

“I don’t ‘put up with you’. You keep things interesting, yoi.” 

 

The two turned to each other, grins splaying across their faces before beaming up at Marco. 

 

“You’re the best! Good night Marco. We’ll see you in the morning.” 

 

“Yeah! We’ll be here.” 

 

Marco smiled warmly before falling back into his pillows and falling asleep. 

  
  
  
  


The next morning when Marco woke up, his head hurt desperately and he sat up slowly. He moved his legs off his bed, looking around his room and saw it bare of anyone else. He grabbed the glass of water on his nightstand and made note to thank Izo for looking out for him later. 

 

Marco rubbed a hand over his face and sighed deeply, tears pricking his eyes as he recalled his dream. He glanced at the folded up blankets and pillows by the door. He had yet to finally toss them out. They were memories he couldn’t let go of. 

 

Ace and Thatch were wrong. They wouldn’t be there the next morning. 

  
  
  
  


Marco felt a sob wrack his chest and  he hunched over, remembering that they had both been taking from him. No more late nights. No more pranks. 

 

They were both dead. And he was still here. 

**Author's Note:**

> I AM SO SORRY, OKAY? I'M CRYING TOO!


End file.
